Rotary file



Jan. 19, 1965 R. HARVELL ETAL.

ROTARY FILE James L. May

United States Patent 3,165,813 RGTARY FILE Robert Harvell and .lames L. May, Tallahassee, Fla, assignors to Rotary Disc File Corporation of America, Tallahassee, Fla, a corporation of Florida Filed June 19, 1961, Ser. No. 118,178 7 Clm'ms. (Cl. 29-78) This invention relates to improvements in rotary files;

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Serial No. 340,956, filed March 9, 1953 Motor Operated Vehicle Body and Fender File, now Patent No. 2,994,942, issued August 8, I961.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a rotary file for surface conditioning. The file is adapted to be motor operated, either by connection with a portable electric motor, such as that shown in our copending application Serial No. 340,956, above noted, or by connection with a flexible shaft operated by an electric or other type of motor located remote from the work.

This rotary file has been primarily designed for removal of unwanted protuberances from metal, plastic, and other surfaces and will, in fact, produce a substantially mirror-like finish upon the surfaces to which it may be applied.

A further object is the provision of a rotary file having the teeth thereof so disposed so that the same will not have a bonderizing elfect upon the surfaces to which it may be applied and will serve to eject filing scraps from between the teeth.

A further object is the provision of a rotary file having teeth arcuately disposed about the sides thereof so that a multiplicity of surfaces of the file may be used during a single filing operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a portion of this specification and in which drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one form of our improved rotary file.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the rotary file of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken through a modified form of rotary file embodying the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of still another type of rotary file embodying the present invention.

in the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown a preferred and two modified embodiments of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A may generally designate the rotary file of FIGS. 1-3, inclusive; B the rotary file of FIG. 4; and C the rotary file of FIG. 5.

Referring to the rotary file A, the same preferably includes a carrying plate or disc having a plurality of closely spaced, arcuate teeth 11 at one face thereof, the arcuate teeth 11 having leading or cutting edges 12 extending arcuately from the outer periphery of the disc 10 to the central portion 15 thereof. The cutting edges 12 of the teeth 11 arcuately extend at 17 toward the central portion 15 of the disc 10; have a planarportion 13 extending along the disc 10, from the central portion thereof outwardly toward the periphery thereof, which planar portion 18 is angled divergently from the horizontal F planar relationship of the portions 17 of the teeth 11, as indicated at F-F in FIG. 3; and are provided with a peripheral portion 19 extending 'arcuately from the surface 13, toward the disc 10, about the periphery thereof.

3,165,813 Fatentecl Jan. 19, 1965 The leading or cutting edges 12 of the teeth 11 have a compound curvature, as indicated in FIG. 1, extending from 17, along the imaginary line 6-4;, along the imaginary line H-H of FIG. 1, and terminating at 19.

We have therefore provided the teeth for the rotary file as having substantially parallel cutting surfaces adjacent the central'portion and peripheral portion thereof, and having a cutting surface divergent from the horizontal planar relationship of one of the parallel cutting edges and convergent toward the other of the parallel cutting surfaces.

Such a relationship of the teeth permits filing adjacent the central portion, along the planar portion and about the periphery thereof, such tooth design substantially avoiding the likelihood of chattering, and serving to throw the filed chips outwardly from the central portion 15, and away from the rotary file. The portions 19 may be utilized for filing in depressions or restricted areas, wherein the surface 18 could not be used.

While the teeth 11 may be formed integral with the carrying plate or disc 10, we prefer that the disc 10 include a file body portion 22 and a base portion 23. The file body portion 22 maybe provided with a plurality of counter-sunk openings 25 for the heads 26 of screws 27, the shanks 28 of which screws pass through openings 29 in the baseportion 23 and are suppliedwith nuts 30 which secure the file body portion 22 to the base 23 as an integral unit. Thus, the file body portion 22 may be made of a diiterent'grade of metal than the base portion 23, so as to function best for the purposes intended, and to permit ready replacement of any broken or damaged file.

The base portion 23 may be provided with a female threaded portion 32 for receiving the, male threaded connection of a power unit:

Referring to the form 13 of the invention, as shown in FIG. 4, the same includes a disc or carrying plate 34 having body portions 23' which are of a configuration to be secured to opposite surfaces of a base plate 35 by screw and nut assemblies 36. This base plate 35 may be provided with a central aperture 37 for attachment to a power source. The body portions 23 each include teeth 38 which are identical to the teeth 11 of the form A of the invention, and like reference characters have therefore been applied. As is obvious from FIG. 4, the form B of the invention provides a rotary file having teeth 38 disposed to opposite surfaces thereof, so that multiple filing surfaces may be presented when filing in a deep depression, or, if filing upon a fiat surface, one of the surfaces may be exchanged for the other when the first used surface becomes excessively worn. It is, of course, within the contemplation of this invention to provide the body portions 23' integral with the plate 35. It is likewise within the contemplation of this invention to provide coarse teeth 38 on one of the body portions 23', for coarse filing and fine teeth 38 on the other of body portions 23', for fine filing.

The form C of our invention preferably includes a carrying plate or disc 40 having a plurality of teeth 41 and a periphery 42, and a central portion 44 having a power supply receiving opening 45. The teeth 41 may extend from the central portion 44 to the periphery 42, being provided with arcuately defined ends similar to the end portions 17 and 19 of the form of invention A.

The teeth 41 preferably comprise a plurality of units 48, each of which are provided with cutting edges 50 arcuately disposed in a different relationship from each of the other of theunits 48. In this form of invention the teeth 41 of each of the units 48 intersect with the teeth 41 of the units 48 to each side thereof. The rotary file of the form of invention C is provided for rotation in a predetermined direction, with the convex cutting edges 50 facing or leading in the direction of rotation, the chords, one of which is shown along the imaginary line Kl l, extending diagonally with respect to the direction referred to and extending outwardly with respect to the central portion 44 of the disc 40 and rearward with respect to the direction of rotation indicated by the arrow 53.

The rotary files of the forms of invention A and B are likewise arranged for rotation in a predetermined direction, the convex cutting edges 12 thereof facing or leading in the direction of rotation, the chords of the compound curvature thereof, such as indicated at G-G and I-IH in FIG. 1, extending diagonally with respect to the direction referred to and extending outwardly with respect to the central portions, and rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation indicated by the arrow 54.

This disposition of the cutting edges of the respective forms of the invention provides a guide for the major portion of the cuttings produced when filing so that such cuttings will be ejected to a zone surrounding the periphery of the files, aided by the centrifugal force incident to rapid rotation of the files.

Various. changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the forms of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A rotary file comprising a file carrying disc revoluble in a definite direction of rotation for impinging the Work when filing, said disc having its marginal portion rounded from its one face to its peripheral portion, and a plurality of closely-spaced arcuate teeth carried by said disc and projecting from said face and said rounded and peripheral portions, said teeth having convex cutting edges foremost in said direction of rotation, and chords extending diagonally with respect to said direction of rotation, outwardly with respect to the central portion of the disc and rearwardly with respect to the said direcion of rotation, whereby at least the major portion of the cuttings produced when filing are guided by said teeth to a zone next adjacent and surrounding the periphery of the disc.

2. A rotary file including a disc revoluble about an axis, in a definite direction for impinging the work when filing, and a plurality of file teeth projecting from said disc at a face thereof; said disc having a central portion and a peripheral portion; and said teeth each includinga cutting edge having a compound curvature, said compound curvature of said teeth having chords extending diagonally with respect to the direction of rotation, outwardly with respect to said central portion and rearwardly with respect to the direction of rotation, the cutting edge of each of said teeth being spaced from the cutting edge of each of the teeth next adjacent thereto a greater distance adjacent said peripheral portion of said disc than adjacent said central portion of said disc.

3. A rotary file including a disc revoluble about an axis, in a definite direction for impinging the work when filing, and a plurality of file teeth projecting from said disc at a face thereof; said disc having a central portion and a peripheral portion; and said teeth each including a cutcar ting edge having a compound curvature said compound said surfaces of said disc, a file body portion provided upon the other of said surfaces of said disc, said disc being revoluble in a definite direction of rotation for impinging the work when filing and said file body portions having their marginal portions rounded from their one face to their peripheral portions, and a plurality of closely spaced arcuate teeth carried by each said file body portions and projecting from said face thereof, and said rounded and peripheral portions, said teeth having convex cutting edges foremost in said direction of rotation and chords extending diagonally with respect to said direction, outwardly with respect to the central portion of said disc and rearwardly with respect to the said direction of rotation, whereby at least the major of the cuttings produced when filing are guided by said teeth to a zone next adjacent and surrounding the periphery of the disc.

5. A rotary file as specified in claim 4 wherein the teeth of one of said file body portions are positioned with respect'to each other for coarse filing and the teeth of the other of said file body portions are positioned with respect to each other for fine filing.

6. A rotary file disc revoluble in a definite direction of rotation, said disc including a file body portion having a plurality of closely spaced arcuate file teeth projecting along one face thereof and extending in a continuous arcuate path to and about the periphery thereof, each of said arcuate file teeth having a convex cutting edge foremost in the direction of rotation of said disc, said convex cutting edge of each of said arcuate file teeth extending arcuately in a compound curvature along one face and about the periphery of said file body portion in juxtaposition so that a chord taken through any are of said arcuate file teeth extends diagonally rearwardly with respect to the definite direction of rotation of said disc.

7. A rotary file disc revoluble in a definite direction of rotation, said disc including a file body portion having a plurality of closely spaced arcuate file teeth projecting along one face thereof and extending in a continuous arcuate path to and about the periphery thereof, one end of said teeth terminating about the periphery of said file body portion, and the other end of said teeth terminating in a common plane in a circular pattern adjacent the central portion of said file body portion, the main working face of said teeth extending from the end thereof adjacent the central portion of said file body portion to adjacent the periphery of said file body portion, the working face of said teeth being at an angle to the common plane of the end of said teeth adjacent the central portion of said file body portion divergently toward the periphery of said file body portion, in juxtaposition to provide a working face opening outwardly toward the periphery of said file body portion, each of said arcuate file teeth having a convex cutting edge foremost in the direction of rotation of said disc, said convex cutting edge of each of said arcuate file teeth extending arcuately in a compound curvature along one face and about the periphery of said file body portion in juxtaposition so that a chord taken through any are of said arcuate file teeth extends diagonally rearwardly with respect to the definite direction of rotation of said disc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 56,033 Frost July 3, 1866 310,096 Tower Dec. 30, 884 992,437 Metcalf May 16, 1911 2,703,119 Pullen Mar. 1, 1955 2,963,059 Grub Dec. 6, 1960 2,994,942 Harvell Aug. 8, 1961 3,013,449 Tobey Dec. 19, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 515,216 France Nov. 22, 1920 1,207,352 France Aug. 31, 1959 650,123 Great Britain Feb. 14, 1.951 872,640 Germany Apr. 2, 1953 

1. A ROTARY FILE COMPRISING A FILE CARRYING DISC REVOLUBLE IN A DEFINITE DIRECTION OF ROTATION FOR IMPINGING THE WORK WHEN FILING, SAID DISC HAVING ITS MARGINAL PORTION ROUNDED FROM ITS ONE FACE TO ITS PERIPHERAL PORTION, AND A PLURALITY OF CLOSELY SPACED ARCUATE TEETH CARRIED BY SAID DISC AND PROJECTING FROM SAID FACE AND SAID ROUNDED AND PERIPHERAL PORTIONS, SAID TEETH HAVING CONVEX CUTTING EDGES FOREMOST IN SAID DIRECTION OF ROTATION, AND CHORDS EXTENDING DIAGONALLY WITH SAID RESPECT TO SAID DIRECTION OF ROTATION, OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE DISC AND REARWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO THE SAID DIRECTION OF ROTATION, WHEREBY AT LEAST THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE CUTTINGS PRODUCED WHEN FILLING ARE GUIDED BY SAID TEETH TO A ZONE NEXT ADJACENT AND SURROUNDING THE PERIPHERY OF THE DISC. 